a much more remarkable example of a community founded by several Berber tribes together than is afforded by the history of A'gades. Be this as it may, the name of Súk has settled upon this tribe, who still form quite a separate body, being distinguished from the neighboring tribes for their learning and peaceable pur

suits.

Besides several respectable men of this tribe, I received a visit also from Nássaru, a daughter of one of their chiefs named Khozématen. She was one of the finest women that I saw in this country. Her decent apparel contributed not a little to increase her beauty, for over her under-gown she wore an upper garment of red and black silk, in alternate stripes, which she occasionally drew over her head. Her features were remarkable for their soft expression and regularity, but her person rather inclined to cor-pulency, which is highly esteemed by the Tawárek. Seeing that I took an interest in her, she half-jokingly proposed that I should marry her; and I declared myself ready to take her with me if one of my rather weak camels should be found able to support her weight. As a mark of distinction I presented her with a looking-glass, which I was always accustomed to give to the most handsome woman in an encampment, the rest receiving nothing but needles. She returned the next day with some of her relations, who were equally distinguished for their comeliness, and who were anxious to obtain a glimpse of me, not less than of the Sheikh el Bakáy. These noble Tawárek ladies furnished a remarkable example of the extreme liberty which the females belonging to this tribe enjoy; and I was greatly astonished to see the pipe pass continually from their mouths to those of the men, and from the latter back again into the mouths of the women. In other respects, I can only hope that they surpass the female portion of the population of Tademékka, of whose virtue El Bekrí speaks in rather doubtful terms.

Less agreeable than the company of these people was the arrival of the blind Simsim, who, it seems, had been rather disappointed in his expectation, of having his sight restored, although my friend had contrived to get from him a present of a camel and a female slave. We were here also at length joined by A'hmed Wadawi, the principal pupil of the sheikh, whom I scarcely expected to see again; but, being fully aware of the slow and deliberate character of his master, he felt convinced that he could never come too late. Altogether I was glad that he had arrived, for,

although apt to make great pretensions, and being inspired with too great zeal for his creed, he was nevertheless a cheerful and good-natured man, and, on account of his considerable learning and his knowledge of the Tawárek chiefs, might be of great service to me after having separated from the sheikh. He had, besides, acquired some useful experience with regard to the difference between the straightforward and trustworthy character of a Christian and the treachery and cunning of an Arab; for having in the beginning constantly taken the part of my former guide, Weled A'mmer Waláti, against myself, he had been cheated in return for his friendship by that rascal, and, in order to get from him what was due to him, had been obliged to pursue him to A'ribínda. He brought the news from Timbúktu that the rebel chief A'khbi, whom we had been unable to persuade to return to his former allegiance, was collecting an army against Alkúttabu.

The whole time of our stay at Tin-sherífen the weather was excessively hot, the heat being felt the more severely, as there was not the slightest shade near our encampment; and as my tent was almost insupportably hot, in order to obtain a little shade I wandered to a considerable distance up the slope which rose behind our encampment, and here lay down under a small hájilíj, or tabórak. From this spot I had an interesting view over the river, which, on account of its peculiar features, here deserved my full attention, and even more than I was able at the time to bestow upon it, as, in the absence of my protector, my companions were rather anxious about my safety. My young and cheerful friend, Mohammed ben Khottár, was suffering all this time from severe indisposition, so that I had no one to rove about with me. A little lower down, the road recedes from the bank of the river for a short distance, and hence I am not able to lay down the river, between this place and Tósaye, with that minuteness of detail which it deserves, in order to facilitate navigation. Under other circumstances, I should have made a special drawing of this remarkable locality on a larger scale; but the assertion of the natives, that Park, in his large boat (his majesty's schooner Joliba), had passed through in December or January without accident, reassured me perfectly. Besides, as I myself had to travel all along the bank of the river by land, I had to take care not to excite too much the suspicions of the natives.

From this spot I had a clear prospect over the point where the river, issuing forth from between the islands, is shut in by two

THE RIVER AT TIN-SHERIFEN.

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masses of rock, called, I think, Shabór* and Barrór, which obstructed it like a sort of iron gate, although the passage between them, especially at high water, appeared to be open and clear. In summer, however, during the lowest state of the river, the difficulty of the navigation is greatly increased by the sand-bank which is formed a little above this strait between the islands and the bank. On the island where the chief Kála resided, also, a mass of rock, which at times, in the sunlight of the afternoon, appeared like a snow-white boulder of quartz rock, started forth like an artificial terrace. Higher up, the river was encompassed in its winding course by steep banks; but, in one spot, on the opposite shore, where the sandy downs formed a recess, a low grassy headland or island was formed, which at the time was enlivened by numbers of horses, cattle, and sheep, and was adorned by stately trees, especially a fine group of dúm palms; for dúm palms apparently begin to prevail here, and lower down the river are found occasionally in great numbers. The slope itself, from whence I overlooked this scenery, consisted entirely of rock. Quartz and mica slate were visible every where, and an uninterrupted ledge of the latter mineral set right across with an inclination toward east. The evenings were beautiful, and nothing afforded me greater delight than to walk along the fine sandy beach far into the river. During the lowest state of the water, this beach forms a junction between the main land and the island where Kála resided.

Our attention was also attracted to some young zangway, the small species of alligator, which every evening raised their cry from the swamp where they were left by their dams. It sounds like the barking of a dog, and it appeared to us as if they were bred purposely in this backwater, in order that they might not fall a prey to some larger animal in the river.

CHAPTER LXXVII.

TO'SAYE, OR THE NARROWING OF THE RIVER.—BURRUM; ANCIENT RELATION TO EGYPT.-GREAT SOUTH-SOUTHEASTERLY REACH.

AT length, in the course of the 8th, my protector returned from his herd of camels, or, as the Arabs call it, "kissib," bringing with

* I am not quite certain whether Shabór may not be the name of the island and not of the rock.

him seven fresh camels. He was accompanied by a nobleman of the country, and a near relative of his, of the name of Sídi 'Alí. Soon after his arrival, he came expressly to ask me whether one of our steam-boats would be able to cross this rocky passage, and I told him that, as far as I had been able to investigate the character of the locality from this point, I thought there was not much difficulty for a small boat or launch, at least during the highest state of the river. In the evening he sent me a small bullock to cut up for our journey, and a short time afterward a camel, in order to supply the place of the most exhausted of my animals, and it now appeared as if we were fully prepared to pursue our journey at a more accelerated rate

Friday, June 9th. Having taken leave of all the new friends whose acquaintance I had made here, I started at a rather late hour, first keeping along the shore, but, after having proceeded about 1400 yards, turning away, and, with a northeasterly direction, entering the stony slope of the desert plateau, which here consisted of black sandstone in a state of decomposition. At this spot, where I was obliged to keep away from the bank, the great rocky ledge, to which Barrór belongs, crosses the river. This rock, not being illumined to-day by the sun, exhibited the same black character which is peculiar to the whole locality, and there is no doubt that it intercepts the navigation for larger boats during a great part of the year.

The bare rocky slope was succeeded by sandy downs, which surrounded and inclosed small irregular vales, the bottom of which was formed of small black stones. A little farther on we passed the locality called Tin-rássen, where Sadáktu had once vanquished a superior force led by A'khbi, who, notwithstanding the close relation which subsisted between them, had come to attack him. The women, hurrying forth from the encampment, had met their kinsfolk with bare breasts, which they held forth to them as having suckled their kindred, and implored them, for the sake of their near relationship, not to shed the blood of their own kinsmen. But this appeal for mercy being without effect, Sadáktu and his handful of men, inspired with fear for the lives of their wives and children, and fighting with the courage of despair, had beaten the superior force of his arrogant relation, and killed nine free men of his tribe.

A little more than half a mile beyond Tin-rássen we again reached the river, at that remarkable place called Tósaye, or Tósé,

ISLAND OF A ́DAR-N-HA'UT.

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where the noble Niger is compressed between steep banks to a breadth perhaps of not more than 150 yards, but of such a depth that, as I have before observed, the bottom has not been found by the natives. Here the sheikh, who, as in general, had slept till late in the morning, overtook us, and seemed much interested when I told him that I thought a small, strong-built steamer might safely cross this obstructed passage, as, in the case of the current being too strong, it might be assisted by chains fastened to the rocks. The locality is of the greatest importance, on account of the intercourse between the desert and the province of Libtáko, as the Arabs of A'zawád in general prefer crossing the river at this point, which, although very deep, is easily passed by the camels and cattle, while in other places they have to swim for miles.

Immediately beyond this narrowing of the river the sandy downs cease, and a low stony level, of black, dismal color, stretched out before us. The river, winding along this tract in a northeasterly bend, and illumined by the dazzling light of the sun, scarcely appeared to be the same large and noble stream which I had admired higher up. The black, stony ground was torn by several small channels, and being only sparingly clad with the sad-looking, poisonous bush, the "fernán," exhibited a very melancholy appearance. But gradually, as we descended from this rough ground upon the green shore, clothed with the rank grass of the býrgu, the river again began to widen, and to assume its former noble character, while a little farther on a large island, called “A'dar-n-háut," was formed, separated from the main land by a narrow channel. We encamped opposite the place where the latter again joins the principal branch, and where, in the present low state of the river, a ledge of rock was seen projecting a considerable distance into the water, and numerous isolated cliffs starting forth from their middle course. I chose my campingground a few hundred yards from the shore, among the trees, where we found some shelter during the hot hours of the day; and I even remained here during the following night, although all the people tried to frighten me with the assurance that the lions which infest the neighborhood would not leave a bone of my horses and camels.

We were visited in this encampment by the inhabitants of the opposite island, who, although belonging to the mixed tribe of the Rumá, have a much better appearance than their brethren in